Question:

I sent Claim in (21-4138) with 4 claims. 1. Anxiety/secondary to Essential Tremors, 2. Depression/secondary to Essential Tremors, 3. Hearing Loss/ Increase and 4. Essential Tremors/Increase for bilateral factor. Sent 7/11/18.  Decision letter came 8/25/18.  Here are the decisions. 1. Evaluation of bilateral hearing loss, which is currently 0% is increased to 10%. 2. Service connection for anxiety and depression is denied. Service connection for anxiety and depression as secondary to essential tremors also claimed as functional loss is denied. What they did was combine anxiety and depression. But there is nothing about 4.Essential tremors /increase for bilateral factor. Can they send decision letter without saying anything about a claim? Also during this process next to Essential Tremors they added also claimed as functional loss. No explanation or compensation. Can they do all this?

Jim's Reply:

"Can they do all this?" Well, yes. They did, didn't they? This isn't at all unusual. Any time we get a decision that is incomplete or that we disagree with, the one and only option available to us is to file a formal appeal beginning with a NOD...the Notice of Disagreement. The sad fact is that VA makes mistakes...a lot of mistakes. The only path there is to force a correction to a mistake is to appeal. Unless and until we file the appeal paperwork, nothing can or will happen.Yes, it's incredibly annoying. No, we don't have another choice. I suggest that you begin your appeal...waiting won't help.